Do Small Businesses Understand Marketing?

Posted in Misc. posts, Recent Post - 13 April 2010 - No comment

Do small business really understand marketing? What about home and garden show exhibitors?

During the past eighteen years I’ve noticed many great companies that can build, remodel, and turn something ugly into a work of art. They are great technicians. Not all understand marketing. Don’t get me wrong. They advertise and market their companies, but it’s often at the recommendation of an ad salesperson.

One of my favorite blogs is Two Hat Marketing which is written by Steve Miller. As I posted before, he “gets it”.

Today, Steve’s blog post deals with small business starting up with out the skills and knowledge of marketing their business. Below is an excerpt:

I recently attended the Global Pet Expo in Orlando. I’ve been consulting for the event sponsor, the American Pet Products Association, for several years now, so I’m always at the show.

During my three days I had the opportunity to interview several dozen exhibitors, including a lot of small companies, many of them new both in business and at the show.

Besides getting feedback about the industry, the association, and the show I was available to answer marketing questions. But as I’ve seen year after year, many of these small businesses simply did not understand marketing at all. I found myself giving a lot of brief Marketing 101 presentations. And, sadly, for many of the newer exhibitors, it would probably be too late.

It’s a great article. But the best part is, at the end, he gives you the opportunity to tap into his knowledge of marketing a business and marketing a business in a trade show.